Cap and ball gun identification

[loudpedal]

A friend of mine asked if I could identify an old cap and ball revolver that he found in the attic of a house he bought. I am not familiar with cap and ball or any antique firearms at all. It is not identified by any manufactures stamp. From my internet search the best I can find is that it appears to be a Whitney. It has what may be a date stamped on the bottom of the barrel 1887.
Anyone have any further thoughts?

The prize for any help will be an attaboy, and a hearty pat on the back if we should ever meet.

Thanks

 

[RustyHornet]

I'm not an expert, just an enthusiast. This has me interested. Had to look it up. Does not explain what may or may not be a date 1887. Hoping someone with more knowledge pops in. When I first saw it, I thought it looked like a Colt, but the top strap is a Remington thing. Seems to be a combination of the two. There was probably hundreds of manufacturers making revolvers at the time of the civil war. Some may have only made a handful.

Whitney Model 1861 Navy Six-Shot, Single-Action, Percussion Revolver

Appears its had its hammer neutered. Very cool piece though.

edit: more reading says the number is the serial number.

 

[jinks]

I does look like variation of a Whitney.



From:

NRA Museums:

 

[loudpedal]

Thanks fellas. I forgot that there is another interesting feature about this piece. There are four parallel notches cut on the top of the right grip. I'll try to post a picture of them this evening.

 

[spencer rifle]

Certainly a Whitney. I have seen one of these before. Beals, the same fellow behind the design of the Remington, was also behind this. It is .36 caliber, so "navy." Problem with the originals was caps getting stuck between the cylinder and the frame, locking up the revolver. Several thousand were used by the Navy in the CW, those usually being marked with an anchor somewhere on the frame or barrel.

 

[littletommy]

Damn I love octagonal barrels!

 

[loudpedal]

Here is a photo of the notches. I mentioned four, but it was really 5.
Kind of intriguing Huh. Makes you wonder about it's history.

 

[indiucky]

Here is a photo of the notches. I mentioned four, but it was really 5.
Kind of intriguing Huh. Makes you wonder about it's history.

Makes me marvel at the marketing strategy of the first person to sell that weapon to a collector....

"Yeah...I hate to get rid of it...Grandpappy rode with Quantrell down in Missouri and traded this off of a young fella name Jesse something or other...Janes??? Jones???? James??? Yeah that's it...Bought it off a fella name of Jesse James...Little cotton eyed fella....Grandpappy always wondered what happened to old Jesse...A thousand dollars??? Oh I don't know...I sure loved Grandpappy quite a bit...I might let her go for say...$2500????"


And yes that's a Whitney...Very nice and well made revolvers...

http://www.whitneyrevolver.com/

 

[RustyHornet]

Makes me marvel at the marketing strategy of the first person to sell that weapon to a collector....

"Indiucky carried this revovler at the Battle of First Manassas. These marks represent the number of Yankees he kilt after picking this weapon up off a dead Union soldier, of which he kilt with a tomahawk. He gave me video evidence from the drone footage from the battle when he handed the gun off to me as a gift. Said he didn't need it anymore as the technology was just far too advanced for him. He's since gone back to his Harpers Ferry pistol."

 

[indiucky]

"Indiucky carried this revovler at the Battle of First Manassas. These marks represent the number of Yankees he kilt after picking this weapon up off a dead Union soldier, of which he kilt with a tomahawk. He gave me video evidence from the drone footage from the battle when he handed the gun off to me as a gift. Said he didn't need it anymore as the technology was just far too advanced for him. He's since gone back to his Harpers Ferry pistol."

I can't believe churchmouse told you about that....They wouldn't let CM fight in that battle because he was too old but he had no problem sitting on the sidelines and making up stories...The notches were actually from a bet I made with him...I told him I could eat five hardtack's without taking a swig from my canteen...

I won the bet but couldn't **** for a week afterward...

 

[RustyHornet]

I can't believe churchmouse told you about that....They wouldn't let CM fight in that battle because he was too old but he had no problem sitting on the sidelines and making up stories...The notches were actually from a bet I made with him...I told him I could eat five hardtack's without taking a swig from my canteen...

I won the bet but couldn't **** for a week afterward...

See this is why you should never start a gun shop. Stories like that would never sell a gun.

 

[RustyHornet]

Mr. Mouse did tell me about the time he ran into a younger Mormon fella while traveling out west. In his older age he noticed he started having troubles cocking the hammer on his side arm. Just became too much work. Well he ran into this nice young man, think he said his name was Browning something Bill? Jack? Jim?, after a gun fight over some bastard reusing to accept a cheeseburger from him. He made a comment to the fella "if only there was a way I didn't have to cock this hammer, boy. Would make this old mans life much easier...." I guess that young man went on to do great things, don't remember what though.... Must not have been that significant.

I like story time. 'Tis fun.

 

[loudpedal]

If CM starts infracting people for these [STRIKE]funny[/STRIKE] I mean defamatory comments, I just want it known that all I did was start the thread. I had no part in any of this Tomfoolery. I'm just the piano player.

 

[RustyHornet]

If CM starts infracting people for these [STRIKE]funny[/STRIKE] I mean defamatory comments, I just want it known that all I did was start the thread. I had no part in any of this Tomfoolery. I'm just the piano player.

He won't even see them.

 

[indiucky]

He won't even see them.

Here is me and cm back in our younger days...Look at us...Just kids back then lol...

Here is Church working on our first Central heat unit....

The wife and I went back to the old home place and it still looks the same...I can still see the spot where Church invented fire and the Heating and A/C business....

 

[RustyHornet]

Here is me and cm back in our younger days...Look at us...Just kids back then lol...

He hasn't changed a bit!!!!!!! You on the other hand.... You've cut your hair and shaved.

Man I really hope he stumbles in here.

 

[RustyHornet]

Rick, I'm amazed that you were able to save some of those photos. I know the last ice age really made it difficult to preserve most of those pieces. You wouldn't happen to have some of his first go 'round with the wheel, would ya?

 

[loudpedal]

He won't even see them.

Funny you should mention that.... He is sitting 20' behind me right now.

 

[RustyHornet]

Funny you should mention that.... He is sitting 20' behind me right now.

Consider yourself honored to be in the presence of such a Legend. Now, I was never here.

 

[indiucky]

Funny you should mention that.... He is sitting 20' behind me right now.

Tell him indiucky says hello...